- November 8, 2024
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A Flagler County man found a wallet containing $3,400 cash, and returned it to its owner, according to a Flagler County Sheriff's Office news release.
Kevin Miller, a 27-year-old construction worker and a resident of Daytona North, was leaving the PetSmart at the Palm Coast Landing shopping center Aug. 5 when he saw a wallet on the pavement in the parking lot, according to the news release.
He wasn't sure he should pick it up, but when he saw someone else "eyeballing it," he later told deputies, he grabbed it.
Miller called the Sheriff's Office to report the find, and started counting the cash as he waited for a deputy to show up.
“My jaw dropped. There was $3,400 in it!” Miller said, according to the news release.
Sitting in his truck waiting for the deputy, Miller began to feel self-conscious and rolled up his windows, then called the Sheriff’s Office a second time.
“I didn’t want to be accused of stealing this money," he said, according to the news release. "It was just crazy. How do you not miss a wallet with $3,400 in it? I’m just saying.”
Sheriff's Office Cpl. Daniel Weaver arrived moments later and used an ID in the wallet to track down its owner, an Orlando woman who'd been traveling on Flagler County on a family vacation. The money was for the trip.
She showed up within two hours to meet Weaver at the Turtle Shack restaurant, where Weaver returned the wallet.
Miller said he believed God placed him in the right place for a reason. “I could have really used that money. But I believe in honesty and respecting other people’s belongings. Especially $3,400. And I’d want someone to do that for me," he said in the news release.
Weaver’s supervisor, Cmdr. Jeff Stuart, praised Miller, who will be nominated for an award by the Sheriff’s Office honoring him for his integrity, according to the news release.
“I called Mr. Miller to thank him for being such an honest person and for doing the right thing," Stuart said, according to the news release. "He told me he was glad to have helped the family by turning the wallet in."
Flagler County will dedicate the new pickleball courts at the Hammock Community Center at 10 a.m. August 25, according to a Flagler County government news release.
Sylvia Whitehouse, who won the gold medal in pickleball for the Woman’s 50-54 Doubles Division, will explain the game while players demonstrate it. The sport combines elements of tennis, ping-pong and badminton and is played on a court the size of a badminton court.
“I just wanted to say ‘Thank You’ for the courts. They are GREAT,” Whitehouse wrote to Flagler County Administrator Craig Coffey, according to the news release. “I predict we will outgrow it very soon.”
Flagler County hopes not, according to the release: The Hammock Community Center was slated for two courts, but money was added to the project so that three could be built instead. The total project cost was $57,905.
Pickleball has been gaining popularity, and was featured on the NBC Nightly News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmYF67dqNaQ.
Flagler County and 7th Judicial Circuit representatives met Aug. 19 to develop a strategy to increase services for veterans in the court system and discuss the potential for a veterans court program, according to a Flagler County government news release.
“Everyone is very supportive about getting veterans the help they need to navigate the court system,” County Administrator Craig Coffey said in the news release. “Chief Judge Perkins came prepared with some very creative solutions. It was a very positive meeting, and we are very thankful for the Chief Judge’s assistance.”
The county will track veterans going through the courts to see how many would qualify to participate in a proposed veterans court program and receive additional Veterans Administration assistance.
“This will tell us whether a program would work here in Flagler County,” Coffey said.
St. Johns County is scheduled to start its veterans court program in October, and research in that county showed that about nine to 15 veterans a month might qualify to use it, according to the news release.
Volusia County also has a program, and Chief Judge Terence Perkins recommended using that program for Flagler veterans in the meantime while officials plan for more services in Flagler County.
“The key here is that veterans are able to get the assistance they need now,” County Commissioner Nate McLaughlin said in the news release. “We have a very positive outlook and we are excited about being able to potentially tap into the high quality veterans’ courts like to the north and south of us.”
Flagler Executive Airport Director Roy Sieger has been appointed as chairman of the East Central Metropolitan Area committee and vice-chairman of the Statewide Steering Committee, both to address the Continuing Florida Aviation System Planning Process, according to a Flagler County government news release. He was also appointed as one of the directors of the Florida Airports Council.
“I am always looking to enhance my knowledge of aviation, and I enjoy sharing it with others,” Sieger said in the news release. “This is an excellent forum to hear what other airports are doing within our region and to exchange ideas.”
The Florida Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration formed the CFASPP to develop recommendations for Florida’s input into the FAA’s National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, according to the news release.
The Florida Airports Council is the state’s largest airport-specific organization, and Sieger has been a member of the council for the past 10 years. He has served as chairman of the General Aviation Committee for the past 2 years.
